05/08/2026
THE SECRET SEASON
The weather has been gorgeous and the fishing superb so far this spring on the Lake Fork river. Water is relatively warm for May and the bugs and trout are very active. I quickly found fish (even the larger ones) holding and feeding up in the medium to shallow riffles. Indicator nymphing was the ticket on 4x/5x tippet casting upstream. On 5/6 Tuesday a tungsten Blowtorch ( #14-16) on the bottom and above it about 12-16” a #10 brown Pat’s or Twenty-incher consistently produced. I got ten in the net in three hours of leisurely wading. Be sure and vary your indicator depth as you encounter the occasional deeper pool, but I caught most of my fish in the riffles. Sunlight or shade did not seem to matter…these fish are hungry and eager. Wading is also super easy at these low (~150cfs) flows. Not sure how much longer these great early season conditions will last—perhaps a two weeks, but could be shorter.
Lake San Cristobal has been ice free for over a month and May is typically the best month to fish it. Last weekend there were fish rising by the hundreds at dusk and not a single angler or boat in sight.
I’ve never understood why more people don’t come to Lake City in May, especially this year since snowpack is very low and many trails are open, fishing great, and there are NO CROWDS anywhere you go. It truly is the quiet, secret season. On my afternoon of fishing Monday I saw exactly one other car parked along the 20+ miles of Lake Fork river public access. Get here! DD
DeLoach Cabin (sleeps 10)
May 8-13, 26-30 (super great early season rates)
August 14-18
Sept. 2-4, 13-16, 20-23
Oct. 3-10
DeLoach Condo (sleeps 12)
May 8-24 (see above ;))
June 6-8
June 26-July 3
July 31-Aug. 4
Aug. 9-13
Aug. 30-Sept. 4
Sept. 7-13, 20-24
Sept 28-Oct. 4
Oct. 9-
